QF10 PER-MEL Some notes and thoughts...

[AIRwin]

Correct - back in the 1970's I used to question domestic passengers on similar flights to see if they had bought duty free goods onboard. If they had I would collect the duty/sales tax payable as they were not entitled to any duty free allowance.

What were such flights in those days? MH? SQ?

 

[Warragul]

Nearly QF exclusive, for non Australian carriers cabotage rules applied so any domestic passengers had to arrive or depart Australia on the same itinerary or were staff.
Once the two airline policy was abandoned and QF/TN merged, QF would fill up the numerous flights with domestics. Chaos would occur when a 'real' domestic flight was cancelled and QF would transfer passengers to a flight operating from the international terminal, with many,understandably, not having photo ID (photo drivers licences not completely implemented).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Over the past few days, it looks like as if QF has dropped off all its QF10 pax in PER to make their own way to ADL, grin, and the eastern states, no continuation of QF10 from PER - MEL on FA/FR.
About 5 or 6 days of this, there was some days over Christmas when a meagre 737 took over PER - MEL.
So, this would mean either they don't have enough pax to continue, or they decided to cut their losses in PER, and do the rest with the narrow body with a dom cabin crew.

 

[oz_mark]

Over the past few days, it looks like as if QF has dropped off all its QF10 pax in PER to make their own way to ADL, grin, and the eastern states, no continuation of QF10 from PER - MEL on FA/FR.
About 5 or 6 days of this, there was some days over Christmas when a meagre 737 took over PER - MEL.
So, this would mean either they don't have enough pax to continue, or they decided to cut their losses in PER, and do the rest with the narrow body with a dom cabin crew.

I'd punt on it being due to the 787 fleet being stretched thin.

 

[OZDUCK]

What were such flights in those days? MH? SQ?

From memory it was the then 3 times a week QF7 which flew Sydney - Melbourne - Perth - Bombay - London and returned as QF8.

 

[jukebox333]

Just a short update on my take the arrangements for this trip in 2023. I've shifted to Mondays, and it's now summer, so the PER departure is an hour later.

Week #1. QF10 cancelled because of delays to the arriving flight. Shunted off to the back of a 737 departing at almost the same time as originally scheduled.

Week #2. Departure delayed by almost 2 hrs.

The staff at the service mushrooms this week were good - knew what was needed for the D-card BP and I was through in a few short minutes.

Decamped to the J lounge as I was early. Was promised a call when the ITL opened. I got impatient at T-2.5hrs and headed across to the International Departure area. There's now a sign that says this section opens 2hrs before departure.

That was applied to us, and in a twist, when we'd gone through the second security screening, we were met with a closed ITL. That did not open until 2hrs before the *revised* departure time - which may well something to do with shift costs for staff??? Anyway, I'd suggest holding in the J lounge till T-2 in future.

ITL remains excellent. Friendly staff, plenty of food and drink of a good quality. FYI - I'd not noticed until this trip, but it's open to everyone from Gold status and above, not just J and WP's.

Flight was fine - one of the better cabin crews I've encountered in the last six months.

MEL arrivals remains an utter dog's breakfast. No guidence whatsoever as to what queue to join to pass through immigration, and a very long wait in the "International Passport Holders" section. A Border Force staff member directed us to the Crew aisle - that's a first - and once the last of the Emirates crew infront of us were processed, the D-card pax moved quite quickly.

I learned my lesson last year, and was just using carry on, so I was on the Skybus and checked in to my hotel before midnight.

Still well worth the effort IMHO.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For now, guess we just have to accept equipment swaps on this route, till QFi gets the a350s.
That is the only downside in re to swaps, ie having to use the T4 instead of T3 at PER, and be put in Y even if booked in the b787 J, as only 12 J can be fitted onto the b737, as opposed to 28 in the b787.

 

[Warragul]

Just a short update on my take the arrangements for this trip in 2023. I've shifted to Mondays, and it's now summer, so the PER departure is an hour later.

Week #1. QF10 cancelled because of delays to the arriving flight. Shunted off to the back of a 737 departing at almost the same time as originally scheduled.

Week #2. Departure delayed by almost 2 hrs.

The staff at the service mushrooms this week were good - knew what was needed for the D-card BP and I was through in a few short minutes.

Decamped to the J lounge as I was early. Was promised a call when the ITL opened. I got impatient at T-2.5hrs and headed across to the International Departure area. There's now a sign that says this section opens 2hrs before departure.

That was applied to us, and in a twist, when we'd gone through the second security screening, we were met with a closed ITL. That did not open until 2hrs before the *revised* departure time - which may well something to do with shift costs for staff??? Anyway, I'd suggest holding in the J lounge till T-2 in future.

ITL remains excellent. Friendly staff, plenty of food and drink of a good quality. FYI - I'd not noticed until this trip, but it's open to everyone from Gold status and above, not just J and WP's.

Flight was fine - one of the better cabin crews I've encountered in the last six months.

MEL arrivals remains an utter dog's breakfast. No guidence whatsoever as to what queue to join to pass through immigration, and a very long wait in the "International Passport Holders" section. A Border Force staff member directed us to the Crew aisle - that's a first - and once the last of the Emirates crew infront of us were processed, the D-card pax moved quite quickly.

I learned my lesson last year, and was just using carry on, so I was on the Skybus and checked in to my hotel before midnight.

Still well worth the effort IMHO.

The standard procedure for domestic passengers to pass thorough the Immigration barrier is via the crew lane. This dates back to when the trip had to be part of an international itinerary to travel domestically and it would be lucky to get half a dozen passengers per flight. Operating crew get priority in the crew lane (an ICAO thing), then APEC card holders, foreign diplomats travelling on diplomatic business, then domestic pax is the official order. Once there is capacity in the general foreigner processing area, any non crew in the crew lane are usually dispersed through there.

Fun fact - Australian diplomatic passport holders are not entitled to any special queuing in Australia - although a bit moot with Smartgate these days.

 

[cove]

Last night we went QF10 to Melbourne. Mrscove got row 7 on the 787 and her first meal choice had run out. What she got was inedible so I had better put her in a lower number seat. She doesn’t eat the salad which is like lawn clippings and she would like to see the end of Neil Perry sooner rather than later.
The flight is quick.
Had to repeatedly produce ID (seemed like a dozen times).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Its an international flight after all, so having to show id at a lot of stages shouldnt be a surprise.
But after Jun, this flight is no more.

 

[jb747]

......and she would like to see the end of Neil Perry sooner rather than later.

Does he have any friends at all?

The crews never said anything good about any of his food, and it simply ensured that I would never grace any of his establishments. If I want lawn clippings, I have a mower.

 

[cove]

Tonight we came home on QF9 and after a delayed start on the 787 it was about 3 hours 18 minutes from take off in Melbourne to landing in Perth.
Now we all dream that our priority tagged bags might come out first but that did not happen. There were 5 bags that did not turn up by the time the carousel stopped running. Then about 20 minutes later our bags finally arrived in a group. Well that was a relief that our bags were not heading to London.

 

[AIRwin]

Well that was a relief that our bags were not heading to London.

Or remaining in Melbourne